Green Connections

Our Initiative

Green Connections is our cleantech initiative. The Swedish American Chamber of Commerce San Diego has since 2012 been working closely with both American and Swedish Cleantech organizations and companies to connect the Southern California region with Sweden. Sustainability is a pressing issue and SACC San Diego is taking the responsibility to find solutions to create a better future. Since 2016, Green Connections has been held in association with the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce. Finland is similarly a country on the leading edge when it comes to sustainability.

What is cleantech?Clean Technology or "Cleantech" is a general term describing processes, products, investments, technologies and services that have a focus on sustainability and environmentally friendliness.

Cleantech provide clean and green solutions that lowers resource consumption, reduces waste, saves energy and uses renewable resources to minimize the negative effects on the environment. Cleantech is the future.

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"Green Connections was an exceptional experience and a great opportunity to meet and network with industry leaders and build relationships between the San Diego area and Sweden. I found the organized visits to local facilities and meetings arranged by SACC to be very helpful and I have no doubt that through this event, CorPower has been able to establish new connections with endless potential."

​Themes 2017

Smart Water.

Renewable Energy

While the world's population continues to grow, the water supply does not. Smart water usage is becoming an increasingly prioritized area and a growing number of countries, companies, and people are working on addressing today´s water related challenges. In California, with its longstanding problems with drought, uncertain water supplies, water quality, and habitat loss, the value of water is highly recognized. For a long time, water conservation and energy efficiency have been large focuses within the state of California and the cleantech industry plays an important role in addressing these challenges and ensuring that water resources are allocated sustainably and efficiently

Being in the forefront of global innovation when it comes to securing sustainable water supplies for the future, the cleantech industry in Sweden and Finland has also had a major influence in addressing the world's water related challenges. Sweden and Finland´s investments in water and wastewater treatment technologies have led to the development of original ideas, unique technical solutions and products for treating wastewater, purifying drinking water, and improving the quality of groundwater.

Today’s world urgently requires optimizing the usage of energy resources. In order to support the future of not only the people and the Globe itself but also the economy and energy industry, global actions and international cooperation in developing renewable energy solutions is paramount. As the second largest energy consumer in the world, the United States plays an integral part in guiding global transition towards renewable energy. California, as the largest state in the U.S. and a global economic superpower, has largely supported renewable energy innovations for decades, showing considerable results in building up on modernized energy resourcing.

​In recent years, Sweden and Finland have achieved remarkable pinnacles in turning the Nordic nations to role models for managing and developing more new and innovative energy technologies. Topping the European Union list of renewable energy proportion per capita in consumption, both countries have met their national targets within the Europe 2020 renewable energy strategy. The work has not stopped there – both countries are still attracting both public and financial interest towards their continuously developing renewable energy solutions to both domestic and international markets.

Why Green Connections 2017?

​Both Renewable Energy and Smart Water solutions are emerging to become even more important and viable options for today’s consumers and businesses. To accelerate our shift towards a greener world, a global connection between the pioneers of sustainability is needed. Through Green Connections, our ambition is to create a platform for inspiration and success stories between the Southern California region and the Nordics, working together to reduce the carbon footprint on the planet while additionally creating sustainable business opportunities and synergy effects. Green Connections invites visionaries, experts, motivators, practitioners, and decision makers from both regions to share and exchange knowledge, ideas, and technologies within smart water and renewable energy. Companies who are in expansion phase, and want to learn from others or perhaps are looking to establish in California or the Nordics, will also find great benefits in attending Green Connections 2017.

Why Sweden?

Why San Diego?

Why Finland?

Sweden is one of the global leaders in the cleantech sector. The country has wide experience and expertise within most aspects of Cleantech and is outstanding within the areas of Renewable energy, Sustainable technologies and Green Vehicle technologies. Sweden has also the largest share of renewable energy sources in the European Union, and The Global Clean Tech Innovation Index 2012 ranks Sweden third in the world in promoting cleantech. Finally, Sweden was recently ranked the most sustainable country in the world by the Swiss investment group RobecoSAM.

Sweden and cleantech in short:

Sweden is a global leader in environmental technology, renewable energy and cleantech

The Swedish cleantech industry is booming and is of great interest for foreign investors

The Global cleantech Innovation Index 2014 ranks Sweden # 4 in the world in promoting cleantech and # 1 in General Innovation Drivers

The three most populated cities in Sweden (Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö) are all in the top 15 of the most inventive cities in the world

Sweden has one of the highest percentages of Smart Cities in the European Union

​For example, Stockholm was awarded the EU Green Capital status and is one of the world’s most connected cities with a focus to improve the environment with the help of IT. Meanwhile, Southern Sweden city Malmö is converting towards full usage of renewable fuel such as sea weed biogas.

“There is no doubt that Sweden is a pioneer when it comes to environmental technology” ​Mark Brzezinski, former US ambassador in Sweden

San Diego is one of the most innovative regions in the world and attracts some of the most talented engineers, scientists, and investors. Furthermore, San Diego is perfectly located right on the Mexican border, which provides access to a thriving industrial manufacturing sector. Having your production platform at a short distance away from San Diego lowers cost and makes communicating and visiting easy. San Diego are in many aspects prominent in the cleantech innovation and is establishing itself as a future hub for both research, education and commercialization of new green technologies.

San Diego and cleantech in short:

The U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index 2014 ranks San Diego as # 3 in cleantech activities

The San Diego cleantech region is among the global leaders with over 800 Clean Tech-, 300 innovator- and more than 400 market enabler-companies

San Diego, as the only city in North America, is featured as one of the World’s Smart Cities by National Geographic Channel

​For example, San Diego is annually saving $250,000 by applying LED Street Lighting in the city and the San Diego Airport is currently developing a digital system enabling full utilization of aircraft storage.

“San Diego has proven to be a national leader in the cleantech economy”

Jason Anderson, Clean Tech President in San Diego

Finland has been recognized as as the third most innovative country in the EU and is a global leader within energy efficiency, clean industrial processes and bioenergy. ​Finland is center for world-class cleantech companies and innovative startups with over 2000 enterprises active in various cleantech sectors.

Finland and cleantech in short:

World-class expertise in cleantech, forestry, machinery, IT and health

Finns are nature lovers, which has made them global leaders in cleantech, building products and energy and resource efficiency

USA represents the third largest market for Finnish exports

Finland is the world's 5th most innovative country

Cleantech Finland joins the Finnish cleantech network into a unified team in global markets

#1 Greenest country in the world

”Finland’s cleantech sector is spearheaded by the best of the best, incorporating a publicly-boosted, bottom-up approach”- Shawn Lesser, president and founder of Sustainable World Capitala

Our Partners

Cleantech San Diego

Cleantech San Diego is a nonprofit member organization that positions the greater San Diego region, including Imperial County and Baja California, as a global leader in the cleantech economy. The organization achieves this by fostering collaborations across the private-public-academic landscape, leading advocacy efforts to promote cleantech priorities, and encouraging investment in the San Diego region. Cleantech San Diego’s membership includes more than 100 local businesses, universities, governments, and nonprofits committed to advancing sustainable solutions for the benefit of the economy and the environment.

City of San Diego

The City of San Diego provide economic development assistance to local cleantech companies that focus on environmental and sustainable solutions to expand, attract, and retain businesses in the San Diego region. With a wealth of research institutes and an entrepreneurial economy, San Diego is uniquely positioned to continue to develop and support a high-growth, innovation-driven industry such as clean technology. Since 2007, more than 370 new cleantech companies have launched in San Diego, many of them affiliated with the city’s world-class universities. With early support and commitment to nurturing this sector, San Diego has become a world renowned innovation hub for the development and commercialization of cleantech products and technology.

The City of San Diego Economic Development department helps with site selection, due diligence, tax incentives, permit assistance, fee reductions, financing, and other programs that help large and small businesses. We not only assists individual businesses, but also focuses on strengthening business organizations and improving business districts throughout San Diego.

Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is strengthening the bi-national mega region which includes San Diego County, Imperial County and Baja California in Mexico. With a combined population of more than 6.5 million and major international airports and ports, the mega region acts as a gateway for global business opportunities. Combining the scientific prowess of San Diego with the manufacturing capabilities of Baja and the renewable energy opportunities in Imperial County, EDC has help create a mega region that supports the region’s three traded economies: military, tourism and innovation. As the only regionally- focused economic development organization, EDC provides a suite of dynamic services – from site selection for international companies to access to partners to maximize investment and access to key decision makers. EDC’s research bureau also analyzes and aggregates data so policy makers and companies can make informed decisions about growing the regional economy.

Through SACC SD and Green Connections you get access to the EDC network, which will especially be helpful for government officials and trade delegations from Sweden.

Pure Water Technology of San Diego (Exhibitor) Click here to visit their website.

SACC San Diego briefly

Find Us

The Swedish American Chamber of Commerce in San Diego is a thriving network of companies and individuals interested in the commercial and social exchange between Sweden and the Southern California’s San Diego region.﻿